Drinking coffee as a beverage is said to have originated in Yemen in the 15th century in Sufi Shrines. It was there that coffee berries were first roasted & brewed in a way similar to how the drink is prepared today

For #InternationalCoffeeDay a thread on coffee & Muslim culture 1/ Coffee was originally consumed in the Islamic world and was directly related to religious practices. For example, coffee helped its consumers fast in the day and stay awake at night, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan #InternationalCoffeeDay

Heavenly ceilings in Persian Islamic architecture…

Captured by Ghasem Baneshi Heavenly ceilings in Persian Islamic architecture…

Captured by Ghasem Baneshi

The very foundation of Islam is literacy - to read & seek knowledge. The first word of the Qur’an revealed to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was “Iqra” which means Read.

To celebrate International Literacy Day, here are beautiful Qur’anic manuscripts in museums across the world… 1/ ‘Read: In the name of thy Lord who created. Created man from a leech like clot. Read: And your Lord is the Most Bountiful. He taught by the pen. He taught man which he knew not’ (Al-`Alaq 96:1-5)

Folio, Manuscript of the Qur'an
Iran, 1550-1575
@LACMA #InternationalLiteracyDay

In 1807, Omar ibn Said, a Muslim scholar, was stolen from Senegal & sold into slavery in America. He left behind an autobiography written in Arabic.

To mark the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade & its Abolition, a thread on the remarkable story of Omar… 1/ Written in Arabic and recently acquired by the @librarycongress, "The Life of Omar Ibn Said” is not only a rare handwritten personal story of an American slave, but it's also one of the first intimate accounts of the early history of Muslims in the United States.

The stages of love in Arabic…

A thread… 1/ Hawā

Did you know that in Arabic there are 12 levels of friendship? With every level of friendship there is an Arabic word to describe it.

From Sadeeq to Khaleel it is rare to find all 12 levels of friendship in one person.

For #FriendshipDay the 12 levels of friendship in Arabic... 1/ 𝙎𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙚𝙦 (صديق) - a true friend; someone who doesn't befriend you for an ulterior motive. The word "Sadeeq" is commonly translated as truth, so honesty and loyalty is at the core of this friendship

Lubna of Córdoba, originally a slave in the 10th century, rose to become a prominent figure in history.

She served as the secretary to Caliph Al-Hakam II and played a pivotal role in creating the renowned library of Medina Azahara, which housed over 500,000 books.

A thread… 1/

Moroccan design is all about colour, texture & fluid lines. It is a unique blend of North African, Mediterranean & Islamic styles, creating a distinctive look, which has inspired artists & designers all over the world.

A thread on the art of Moroccan design aesthetics... 1/ City planning, military architecture, urban casbahs, and the intricate beauty of Moroccan carpets, woodwork, and zellij tilework are all part of this distinctive and brilliant world of art.

Moroccan aesthetics continues to influence artists and designers all over the world…

Arabic calligraphy is the most highly regarded element of Islamic art, as it is the language of Qur’an. The script has the potential for creating ornamental forms

Today, the art of Arabic calligraphy continues. Here are 20 contemporary artists redefining calligraphy

A thread... 1/ Influenced by her British and Pakistani heritage, artist Maaida Noor combines ancient techniques with modern expression. Through her work, she aims to reconnect with nature and spirituality, using harmonious geometries and vibrant colors as her language.

Ever wondered where ice cream came from?

It is believed 2000 years ago in Persia, Arabs who conquered the Persian Empire enriched the recipe of snow chilled honey with milk & sugar #IceCreamDay

For #WorldIceCreamDay here are 25 frozen treats from Muslim cultures…

A thread… 1/ Es Doger, Indonesia

Made of shaved ice, coconut milk, coco pandan syrup, fermented sticky rice & fermented cassava. It is popular in Bandung, West Java & comes from Cirebon. Its name is derived from ‘es dorong gerobak’, which translates as ‘carousel-pushed ice.’#IceCreamDay

Chess is a significant part of Muslim history. The game originated in northern India in the 6th century AD & spread to Persia. When the Arabs conquered Persia, chess was taken up by the Muslim world
 
For #WorldChessDay here is the history of chess & Muslim heritage
 
A thread... 1/ The Indian ancestor of Chess was called chaturanga, developed in the 6th century AD meaning “4 Members”, it comes from the 4 military divisions of the Indian army: infantry, cavalry, elephantry, & chariotry.

Two women play Chaturanga, c. 1805 — c. 1815
#WorldChessDay

Al-Ghazali (1058 - 1111 CE.) also known as Imam al-Ghazali, was a Persian polymath who made many contributions to various fields

His works have had a profound & lasting impact on Islamic thought & continue to be studied by scholars & students

A thread on 10 of his famous quotes 1/ "The disease of the heart is worse than the disease of the body"
~ Al-Ghazali

The incredibly unique contemporary Bab Al-Salam Mosque in Oman is nothing like you’ve ever seen before!

Designed in the form of a circular disc, borrowing from the moon, the windows in the shape of its crescents & its glass ball pendant symbolises the vault of heaven

A thread… 1/ ‘Allahu Nur as Samawati wa al Ard’ means Allah is the Pure, Primordial Light of both the Heavens and the Earth.

Surah An-Nur ayat 35

Bab Al-Salam Mosque

Ibn Sina, (also known as Avicenna) was a polymath born in 980 AD in Bukhara, present-day Uzbekistan. He made many contributions to medicine.

He died in 1037 AD in Iran, leaving a lasting legacy in the history of science & philosophy.

A thread of nine of his famous quotes… 1/ "The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing"
~ Ibn Sina

Nothing defines Moroccan culture as distinctly as its tea. Moroccan tea is not only delicious, the way the tea is presented is beautiful, & the ritual serving the tea is meaningful. It is a tradition passed through generations.

A thread on the Morrocan & Magrehbi tea ceremony… 1/ From the tea to the tea pot, from the tea pot to the tea glasses, and from the tea-glasses to the tea-drinking, Moroccan & Magrehbi tea culture is all about being unhurried and artful, gentle and graceful, warm and welcoming

Arabic vocabulary is rich in emotionally colored words, and words that express “sadness” are no exception.

Arabic “sadness” poetry is popular, as it is in Persian and Urdu (think “udāsī shayari”).

A thread on nine Arabic words for sadness… 1/ Huzn
@WaelPoet

Scholars of Islamic culture contributed significantly to botany, herbals & healing, improving knowledge of plants. They classified plants into those that grow from cuttings, those that grow from seed, & those that grow spontaneously
 
A thread on botany & art in Islamic culture… 1/ The Holy Qur’an provided the initial impetus for the investigation of herbs by Islamic writers, as plants are named in the depiction of Paradise & are used as signs of the Creator’s power and majesty. Inspired by their faith, Muslims worked extensively in this area

Arabic is a beautiful language known for its deep expressiveness, where every word holds rich meaning.

The beauty of Arabic is in its melodious sounds, elegant script & the deep significance of its words.

A thread on nine expressions for ‘beautiful’ in Arabic… 1/ Jamil
@WaelPoet

The art of Henna has been practiced in South Asia, Africa & the Middle East for over 5000 years. The botanical name of the henna plant is Lawsonia inermis. A member of the Loosestrife family, henna originally comes from Egypt.
 
A thread on the art of henna in Muslim cultures... 1/ The English name henna comes from the Arabic term الحناء (al-ḥinnā). The name henna also refers to the dye prepared from the henna plant and the art of temporary tattooing from those dyes. Henna has been used for centuries to dye skin, hair & fingernails as well as fabrics

Ever wondered who invented robotics?

Ismail al-Jazari, a Muslim inventor from the 12th century is known as the "father of robotics" due to his groundbreaking work in the field of automata, which are self-operating machines.

A thread on Ismail al-Jazari, engineering & robotics… 1/ While robotics is considered a relatively new field of science, with the public’s consensus that it is the creation of 20th-century scientists, it would be surprising to know that the field has its roots in the medieval era nearly a millennium ago, with Ismail Al Jazari

Eid Mubarak to everyone!

May we be united in peace and blessings.

A thread on Eid greetings in different languages from across the world…

#EidMubarak #EidAlAdha 1/ Eid greeting in Türkçe